Lawyer Websites

Lawyer Websites

By Sarah Van Cott

Websites have many different levels of functionality. They provide information to potential clients and they also serve as a bridge to the World Wide Web by linking to other Websites for further resources and information.

How Websites function for potential clients

Websites should have a clear path with ways to get back to the home page. The main pages of a Website should not link out too far away. This might lose the user. Also, contact information and submission forms should be included on every page of the site.

Avoid legal jargon

It is really easy for attorneys to assume that Website visitors have working knowledge of a particular area of the law. For example, some clients may not be aware of the differences between civil law and criminal law. Instead provide simple, bite-sized pieces of information.

Keep the site current

Not only is it confusing, but also it's also frustrating and can easily make a user leave your site and move on to another attorney's Websites. Even broken images can turn off users. One easy way is to ask that the employees of a law firm visit the site to search for broken links. Also, Web development firms generally have tools that will alert them to fix broken links.

Many Websites will include links on their sites to other Websites and resources. Make sure that if you send users out to another site that the link stays updated and current with helpful information.

Think about how a potential client views your Websites. Is the site easy to navigate with prominent contact information? If you think about what your Websites says about you, it may be a myriad of things. But the one thing you want your Web site to say is: Contact me, not someone else.

How useful is an online Websites if it doesn't lead a potential client to contacting the attorney? Providing reasons for the client to contact the attorney is making sure they understand the specific areas of law the attorney handles.

A potential client with no legal background needs to be educated on whether or not a certain attorney is licensed to represent a certain type of legal case. For example, divorce law, in some states is referred to as Property Law or Family law. In California, divorce law is known as Community Property Law and alimony is referred to as spousal support.

Current, engaging information on your Websites to educate a client on a particular practice area shows that a law firm is capable and willing to take time to assist clients with the information they need to choose the right attorney.

Even if the user does not choose that particular law firm to handle a case, the user can still pass the site on to a friend who may use it in the future.

Web sites can speak volumes about a particular practice area, the personality of the firm, and most importantly, the types of clients they serve. By asking yourself the following questions, you will get a better idea about what kind of impression your Web site provides to potential clients.

This translates into graphics, logos, color palettes and overall design. When was your site launched? Sometimes sites can appear dated depending on the kind of graphics and colors that designers use.

Does your site need a face-lift?

Sites with animation can be considered outdated, especially if the animation involves emoticons or textured backgrounds. If your site has flash or an intro, known as a splash page, be sure to have an option to skip the intro.

As far as look and feel of your Websites, delve deeper into what matters most in the message of your company. By working with a Web designer, your company can build upon marketing materials that are already in use.

Giving your Websites a face-lift can be costly depending on how the Websites was built. Sometimes it is less expensive to build a brand new site instead of trying to fix the original site.

Is there self-checking on each page?

Accuracy is crucial on a Web site. Whether your site has tons of typos, or old pricing, reviewing the site's content for errors is important on several levels. For appearance, typos are an easy way to lose credibility with users who expect quality control. To eliminate these types of issues, rethink adding content that might become outdated.

Is the site organized for success?

Users appreciate good navigation. Your law firm's address and contact form should be on the front page, because, sometime that's all users are looking for: how to get a hold of a "live" attorney who can handle their cases.

An error-free web site with great navigation, which reflects the personality of your law firm, doesn't have to cost a fortune. It just takes planning in advance to target the proper potential client.

Toyota Recall Lawyer

Toyota Recall Lawyer

By Anna Henningsgaard

Toyota has been known to avoid issuing recalls at all cost, preferring to issue safety warnings and avoid covering repair costs on vehicles that are beyond warranty. This should put this year’s massive Toyota truck recall into perspective.

Toyota is recalling more than 750,000 pickup trucks and SUV’s because of problems with the front suspension that could make the vehicles difficult to steer. The recall covers 775,000 vehicles in the United States alone, including 2001-2004 model years of the Toyota Tacoma, the 2001-2002 models of Toyota 4Runner and the 2002-2004 model Tundra and Sequoia.

Wear and tear on this ball joint creates friction that makes the vehicles difficult to control. At speeds as low as 20 mph, Toyota drivers have reported ball joints collapsing, causing the front wheels to fold under the truck.

In 2004, Toyota conducted nine recalls affecting 1,060,000 vehicles, according to the NHTSA. This year, Toyota has also recalled:

- 92,577 Celica coupes from 2000-2001 models to adjust daytime running lights that blind oncoming drivers

- 23,000 model year 2005 Tacoma pickups to tighten a lock nut on the parking brake pedal

This ball-joint recall was the second time in the same week that Toyota issued a high-profile safety warning. If a Toyota truck that has since been recalled has injured you or a loved one, consult a lawyer about collecting damages.

Toyota Tundra models have serious break problems, many of which Toyota is refusing to take responsibility for. Toyota recently issued a recall notice for its 2004-2005 model Toyota Tundra equipped with dual exhaust because one of the exhaust pipes was found to rub against the brake line. Toyota states that this will “possibly cause brake fluid leakage and raise the risk of a crash”.

Toyota has recently been grievously irresponsible about issuing warnings and recall notices on its Toyota Tundra trucks. Toyota even issued a technical service bulletin, but Toyota dealers have not alerted consumers to the problem. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Toyota owners have been told there isn’t a problem or blamed for “driving too hard”, that is until their 36,000-mile warranty expires. At this point the Toyota dealerships acknowledge the brake problem and offer assistance –- at full price.

The Toyota Tundra is breaking down because the rear brakes do not self-adjust properly. This transfers the entire braking load to the front wheels. Toyota has had dozens of other problems with the Tundra model, but they only issue technical service bulletins online and make no attempt to inform customers. The shaking also damages other systems and components in the truck, including transmission and stereo systems.

Independent mechanics will be very open about the problems with Toyota Tundra, but Toyota dealerships feign ignorance about the problems. It is safe to say that Toyota is brushing off its customers, denying their claims and endangering their lives. What if a small child runs into the road in front of Toyota Tundra? Toyota is a huge company and they are merely individuals. Maybe the warranty does not cover normal wear and tear beyond a certain mileage, but Toyota designed, marketed, and shipped a vehicle with a fundamental flaw that endangers the lives of people on the road. Toyota is acting in bad faith with its customers, and this is against the law.

As recently as July 15, 2005 Toyota announced a recall in their Tacoma series of trucks. This most recent recall addresses a manufacturing flaw in the front suspension lower ball joint. In extreme cases, the lower ball joint may separate from the knuckle, causing the Toyota truck or SUV to veer out of control. If a driver loses control of his truck on a road or highway, a crash is almost inevitable. Toyota will pay for dealers to replace these defective joints. This is just the most recent in a long line of recalls involving Toyota Tacoma and other Toyota trucks and SUV’s.

In February of 2005, Toyota announced that a recall of at least 22,228 Toyota Tacoma trucks equipped with automatic transmission. Toyota declares that this defect will “reduce the effectiveness of the parking brake”, but what they mean is that the parking brake will stop working. If the transmission is not placed into park or should the car start to slide down a hill, the parking brake will be ineffective and the vehicle will roll freely down the hill. If you own a Toyota Tacoma with automatic transmission, remember not to leave your child in the back seat while the car is parked, at least until you have the parking break checked out.

Toyota Motor Corp. also recently recalled 123,360 Tacoma pickup trucks model years 2001-2003. These Toyota Tacoma double-cab pickups suffered from a problem with the fuel filler pipe hose. If you have already experienced the problem in a crash situation and you have been hurt, contact a lawyer to see about lawsuits being filed against Toyota for their harmful recalled trucks. A lawyer can also help you recover costs for fixing your Toyota Tacoma if your Ford dealership wants to charge you for expenses that Ford Motor Corp. should cover.